The Gift of Freedom - by Glennette Tilley Turner (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Harriet Tubman was always a keen observer. She learned to use the North Star for a compass, to tell time by the stars, and to find her way by natural signs as well as any hunter could. She could navigate dense forests, locate waterways in the area, and identify the white Quakers and black mariners who were willing to help enslaved people escape. When Tubman first fled north, she knew she might never have another chance to run away. Yet after she arrived safely in the free city of Philadelphia, she risked her own freedom again and again to help other Freedom Seekers--and those she'd had to leave behind. She never forgot her family in Maryland, and on Christmas Day, 1854, Tubman returned again, hoping to give three of her brothers the best possible gift--the gift of freedom! This historical picture book about the legendary Underground Railroad conductor, abolitionist, and suffragist was written based on personal interviews with Tubman's last surviving relative. A story of courage, hope, and family, The Gift of Freedom takes readers on an inspiring journey during one of America's darkest times. Includes a letter to readers, an author's note, and a bibliography"--

Book Synopsis

From bestselling illustrator and Coretta Scott King honoree Laura Freeman and award-winning author Glennette Tilley Turner comes the little-known story of Harriet Tubman's daring rescue of her enslaved brothers on Christmas Day

This historical picture book about the legendary Underground Railroad conductor, abolitionist, and suffragist was written based on personal interviews with Tubman's last surviving relative. A story of courage, hope, and family, The Gift of Freedom takes readers on an inspiring journey during one of America's darkest times.

Harriet Tubman was always a keen observer. She learned to use the North Star for a compass, to tell time by the stars, and to find her way by natural signs as well as any hunter could.

She could navigate dense forests, locate waterways in the area, and identify the white Quakers and Black mariners who were willing to help enslaved people escape.

When Tubman first fled north, she knew she might never have another chance to run away. Yet after she arrived safely in the free city of Philadelphia, she risked her own freedom again and again to help other Freedom Seekers--and those she'd had to leave behind.

She never forgot her family in Maryland, and on Christmas Day in 1854, Tubman returned again, hoping to give three of her brothers the best possible gift--the gift of freedom!

Includes a letter to readers, an author's note, and a bibliography.

Review Quotes

"illustrations give emotional heft to the strategically grounded telling...Foregrounding Tubman's courage, strategic capacity, and enduring love for her family, it's a work that meditates on the figure's unyielding pursuit of freedom"

-- "Publishers Weekly"

***STARRED REVIEW***

"In this intriguing book, Turner provides enough historical context to help younger children understand the importance of Tubman's gift to her brothers and enough details to hold the interest of older readers. Created using dark, rich colors, Freeman's stunning night scenes, sometimes lit by a single lantern, capture the drama of this well-told, memorable story."

-- "Booklist"

"A powerful, seldom-shared chapter from Tubman's storied path to freedom."

-- "Kirkus Reviews"

About the Author

Glennette Tilley Turner has written many children's books, including A Man Called Horse: John Horse and the Black Seminole Underground Railroad and Fort Mose: And the Story of the Man Who Built the First Free Black Settlement in Colonial America. She has also written collections of biographies of notable African Americans for adults, and she serves as an advisor to the National Park Service, where she helps plan programs for the national historic Underground Railroad trail. Turner has a master's degree in history and children's literature; has spoken at ALA, NCTE, BCALA, and the Library of Congress; has presented at Illinois library, historical, and reading organizations; and taught in the Chicago Public School system for many years. She has received numerous awards and accolades for her writing and was inducted into the International Literary Hall of Fame for Writers of African Descent at the Gwendolyn Brooks Center of Chicago State University. She lives in Wheaton, Illinois. Laura Freeman is a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honoree. Her work has been recognized with an NAACP Image Award, reached the New York Times bestseller list, and has been honored by the Society of Illustrators, the Georgia Center for the Book, and in the Annuals for Communication Arts and American Illustration. She has illustrated more than 30 children's books, and her editorial images are frequently seen in the New York Times and other periodicals. Originally from New York City, Freeman now lives in Atlanta, Georgia.